Air Defence in Northern Europe

WORLD WAR II

Sweden

When Germany attacked Poland in September 1939, the Swedish Flygvapnet increased its state of readiness, and after a few weeks this was adjusted to permit an accelerated effort to improve air combat capacity.^l5

A new warning of changes in the security policy environment came when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on 30th November of the same year. Sweden as a nation took a strictly neutral position, but voluntary help was given to Finland at an individual level. A voluntary flying unit, F 19, was established at the end of 1939 and started to operate from temporary air bases at Veitsiluoto, Olkkavaara, Märkäjärvi, Oulu, Vaala and Posio at the beginning of 1940 with 12 Gloster Gladiators and 4 Hawker Harts. Although the unit was small, it represented a major part of the Swedish fighter force of that time, and the support it provided was very important to Finland because it made possible to concentrate the entire Finnish fighter force on repelling the main Soviet attack.²⁵

Some voluntary anti-aircraft artillery units also supported Finland in the Winter War. There was one anti-aircraft company and one anti-aircraft artillery battery operating in Lapland and one anti-aircraft artillery battalion and a naval anti-aircraft detachment in Turku.⁸

The next major military operation to occur nearby was the occupation of Denmark and Norway by the Germans in April 1940, which meant that Sweden was now surrounded by conflict areas. Even though the country’s advantageous position behind the "frontline" states had kept it away from the action, the nearness of the danger was not comforting.

The examples of Finland in the Winter War and Great Britain in the Battle of Britain left their mark on the Swedish development plan. Two more fighter wings, F9 at Säve and F10 at Bulltofta at first and then at Ängelholm, were added to the program. Also, a long-range reconnaissance wing was to be established at Nyköping under a decision taken in 1940, and the next year a decision was made for a bomber wing, F12, at Kalmar and a base organization, F21, at Luleå.

The five-year program approved in 1941 laid down that:^l6

further flying groups (flygeskadrar) should be established

the entire country should be divided into air base areas

the force of fighters and torpedo planes should be strengthened

new wings should be established

the number of reserve aircraft should be increased markedly

a workshop organization should be built up

the aircraft industry should receive increased support.

The development plan was continued during the next few years, and by the time World War II ended Sweden had built almost a ten-fold air force compared with that of 1936. The 46 divisions comprised about 550 combat aircraft, of which the majority were Swedish-built, and the total number of planes was over 800. There were 15 fighter divisions, 15 bomber divisions, 2 torpedo divisions, 3 long-range reconnaissance divisions, 5 army reconnaissance divisions and 6 maritime reconnaissance divisions.^l6

Back to the TABLE OF CONTENTS

Home

Latest Topic | Air Warfare | Symposium '98 | Fighter Tactics | Fighter Aircraft | Missiles | Fighter Aviation Topic | Fighter History | Warbirds | News Links | Current News | Links | Physiology | Photo Gallery | Bibliography | SIIVET - Wings | What's New